The Sweet Side of Failure.

Today’s Marketing Cookie is about how the sweet taste of success can sometimes be discovered through failures.

I recently learned about a chemist named Jim Schlatter, who was working in the 1960s to develop an anti-ulcer drug. His research led him to discover a hormone called gastrin-17, which stimulates stomach acid production. Jim theorized that controlling this hormone could help manage, treat, and possibly cure ulcers.

Word of his discovery leaked, sparking a race among chemists worldwide to find a controlling agent for gastrin. Jim, determined to win, developed a promising compound and believed he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

One day, while synthesizing this compound, he accidentally spilled some of the white powder on himself. He thought nothing of it until later that day when he reached for a piece of paper. Jim was one of those people who instinctively licks his finger to gain traction when picking up a piece of paper. When he did, he noticed an intensely sweet taste on his tongue. 

Unfortunately, his compound proved ineffective in treating ulcers. To make matters worse, a research team in England had developed the exact same compound more rapidly than Jim. They had already realized it was ineffective as an anti-ulcer drug, discarded it, and moved on. Jim failed, but wasn’t ready to give up on his compound, so he secured a patent.

Extensive testing revealed that Jim's failed compound was about 200 times sweeter than sugar at a fraction of the calories. This could make it an attractive alternative for people looking to reduce their caloric intake without sacrificing sweetness. In 1981, Jim received FDA approval, and NutraSweet was born.

NutraSweet found its way into countless products, from diet sodas to sugar-free gum, revolutionizing diets and offering a viable option for people managing diabetes. Jim may have lost the race to cure ulcers, but inadvertently tasted success and sweetened the lives of millions. Like Jim accidentally discovered, it can be as today’s fortune says, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”